City Leaders React to Not Guilty Verdict in Dominique Heaggan Brown Case

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City leaders say they've been preparing for this verdict since Monday but today we got a number of reactions from people about the jury's decision and each one of them is different.

Former Milwaukee Police Officer Dominique Heaggan-Brown shot Sylville Smith blocks away from Alderman Russell Stamper's District. He said the evidence to him was clear.

"I'm also upset because I think that was the wrong verdict. From what I saw in the video and from the history of this particular officer this verdict is not the right one," says 15th District Alderman Russell Stamper II.

Milwaukee Police Chief Ed Flynn said in a statement today; “The jury’s verdict was based on the objective evidence before it. A year ago I told the public I’d seen nothing in the video that was a violation of the law or policy. The jury saw the same evidence and came to the same conclusion.”

"This is a really troubling time for the City of Milwaukee. I know that this is hitting a lot of communities really hard. What we want to do is assure the community that we are trying to move forward in a way that respects the lives of the family members of Sylville Smith," says Common Council President Ashanti Hamilton.

City officials say they've been preparing for this verdict since Monday.

Officials have had meeting with community organizers, pastors and others about a plan to move forward. They also say they reached out to both Sylville Smith's family and people involved in the riots in August 2016, encouraging them to stay peaceful.